MatthewG said: Faith Without Works Is Dead
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
In James 2:14, we read of one who
says/claims he has faith but has no works (to
evidence his claim). That is not genuine faith, but a
bare profession of faith. So when James asks, "Can
that faith save him?" he is saying nothing against genuine faith, but only against an
empty profession of faith/dead faith. So James does not teach that we are saved "by" works. His concern is to
show the reality of the faith
professed by the individual (James 2:18) and
demonstrate that the faith
claimed (James 2:14) by the individual is
genuine.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without [
a]your works, and I will show you my faith by [
b]my works.
We
show our faith by our works, but we do not establish it. (Ephesians 2:5-9)
19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!
In James 2:19, we read that the demons believe
"mental assent" that
"there is one God," but they
do not believe in/have faith in/trust in/reliance in Jesus Christ for salvation. In other words, they
do not believe in/on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31)
and are not saved.
Their trust and reliance are in Satan as demonstrated by their rebellion in heaven and continuous evil works.
20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is [
c]dead?
In regard to "faith without works is dead," James does not mean that faith is dead until it produces works and then it becomes a living faith, and the works are the source of life in faith. That would be like saying that a tree is dead until it produces fruit and then it becomes a living tree, and the fruit is the source of life in the tree. Something that is dead cannot produce anything. It takes a living faith to produce works (Ephesians 2:5-10) just as it takes a living tree to produce fruit. A bare profession of faith that produces no works
demonstrates that it's dead.
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made [
d]perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was [
e]accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.
In James 2:22, faith made perfect or complete by works means bring to maturity, to complete like love in 1 John 4:18. It doesn't mean that Abraham was finally saved based on merits of his works after he offered up Isaac on the altar in Genesis 22. When Abraham performed the good work in Genesis 22; he
fulfilled the expectations created by the pronouncement of his faith in Genesis 15:6.
In James 2:23, the scripture was
fulfilled in vindicating or demonstrating that Abraham believed God and was accounted as righteous. Abraham was
accounted as righteous based on his faith (Genesis 15:6)
not his works (Romans 4:2-3)
long before he offered up Isaac on the altar in Genesis 22.
24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
James 2:24 - You see that a man (believer) is justified by works and not by faith alone [that is, by acts of obedience a born-again believer
reveals his faith]. (AMP)
James 2:24 - So, you see that a person is
shown to be righteous through faithful actions and not through faith alone. (CEB)
Empty profession of faith/dead faith that remains alone - "barren of works." (James 2:14) Hence,
faith alone. *Not to be confused with faith that
trusts in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. (Romans 4:5-6; Ephesians 2:8,9)
In James 2:24, James is not using the word "justified" here to mean "accounted as righteous" but is
shown to be righteous. James is discussing the
evidence of faith (
says-claims to have faith but has no works/I will show you my faith by my works - James 2:14-18) and
not the initial act of being accounted as righteous with God. (Romans 4:2-3)
Greek word for justified "dikaioo" Strongs #1344 is:
1. to render righteous or such he ought to be
2.
to show, exhibit, evince, one to be righteous, such as he is and wishes himself to be considered
3. to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be
*Fits the context.
Romans 4:2 - For if Abraham was
justified (accounted as righteous)
by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham
believed God, and it (faith, not works) was
accounted to him for righteousness. *Hermeneutics.
Greek word for justified "dikaioo" Strongs #1344 is:
1.
to render righteous or such he ought to be
2. to show, exhibit, evince, one to be righteous, such as he is and wishes himself to be considered
3. to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be
*Fits the context.
25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
Rahab believed in the Lord with authentic faith (Joshua 2:9-13), requested "kindness" (2:12), received the promise of kindness (2:14), and hung out the "scarlet line" (2:21), as the
demonstration of her authentic faith. She
showed that her faith in God was not a dead faith by her works, just as all genuine believers
show theirs.
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
The comparison of the human spirit and faith converge around their modes of operation. The spirit (Greek pneuma) may also be translated "breath." As a breathless body exhibits no indication of life, so fruitless faith exhibits no indication of life. The source of the life in faith is not works; rather, life in faith is the source of works. (Ephesians 2:5-10)
